mfg

Hmmm! this is true… people that remember and understand (and care!) what an Avanti is are unfortunately a shrinking group.

I adapted a used Quadrajet taken from a ‘78 Buick for my ‘83 Avanti everyday driver. I did this to eliminate the troublesome electronic factory Quadrajet which seemed to have a mind of its own! After rebuilding the Buick carb with a zip kit and new composite float, it dropped right onto the stock factory manifold with no major change to the throttle linkage. Biggest challenge was adapting the electric choke from the ‘83 carb to the ‘78 carb…. which wasn’t hard to do. Factory air filter assy dropped right on. The distributor also had to be changed from the stock electronically controlled advance type to the earlier Chevy vacuum advance type… again very easy to do. I made this change approximately 400,000 miles ago… and have never looked back!!

I like the idea that a younger person with some mechanical talent but perhaps not a whole lot of $$$, can pick up a running but ‘worn’ Studebaker Avanti for $4,000–$8,000. Whereas a well worn 1962 Corvette, similar to the one which I purchased for next to nothing when I was a ‘kid’, now will bring $30,000 and up… Out of sight for many guys starting a new family.

Something which I’ve seen as a ‘positive’ over the years is that Studebaker/Avanti prices have never taken off ‘through the roof’ as prices of other collector cars have. (Corvettes, some Mopars & Fords) This fact has allowed me to buy and sell Studes at prices which I (and others) can afford…..Some may see Studebaker/Avanti financial values lower than comparable vehicles as a negative, however, I’ve always felt their more attractive pricing was a good thing! (IMHO)

Nothing wrong with that!!

Resale value of my four Avantis and two other Studes means very little to me… I purchased these cars for several different reasons……How much profit I might make ‘down the road’ wasn’t one of them.

Very interesting, and I would not doubt that this one is an original… however there are several very nice reproductions which have been made over the years.

Tough question, as lately it seems like collector car selling prices in general are down. Of course, there’s always exceptions!

Nice car….. Nice photos!

BTW… Only my opinion, but I feel ‘round light’ Stude Avantis look more ‘aggressive’ with the scoop area left open! (grille less) ‘Square light’ Stude Avantis look, to me, more normal if the factory grille is in place.

No grease fittings needed here.

Some like the ‘look’ of the factory stainless steel grille on these cars…. To me, its real importance is radiator core protection.

I believe that SI sells both types.

SI has them in reproduction

Youse got it!!